Double-stranded RNAS directed to IKK-2

ABSTRACT

Compositions and methods are provided for treating NF-κB-related conditions. In particular, the invention provides a stimulus-inducible IKK signalsome, and components and variants thereof. An IKK signalsome or component thereof may be used, for example, to identify antibodies and other modulating agents that inhibit or activate signal transduction via the NF-κB cascade. IKK signalsome, components thereof and/or modulating agents may also be used for the treatment of diseases associated with NF-κB activation.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO PRIOR APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 10/338,462, filed Jan. 8, 2003, and will be issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,285,654, which is a divisional application of application Ser. No. 09/844,908, filed Apr. 27, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,576,437, which is a divisional application of application Ser. No. 08/910,820, filed Aug. 13, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,258,579, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/697,393, filed Aug. 26, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,972,674, each of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to compositions and methods useful for the study of cascades leading to the activation of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) and for treating diseases associated with such pathways. The invention is more particularly related to a stimulus-inducible IκB kinase (IKK) signalsome, component IκB kinases and variants of such kinases. The present invention is also related to the use of a stimulus-inducible IKK signalsome or IκB kinase to identify antibodies and other agents that inhibit or activate signal transduction via the NF-κB pathway.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Transcription factors of the NFκB/Rel family are critical regulators of genes involved in inflammation, cell proliferation and apoptosis (for reviews, see Verma et al., Genes Dev. 9:2723-35, 1995; Siebenlist, Biochim. Biophs. Acta 1332:7-13, 1997, Baeuerle and Henkel, Ann. Rev. Immunol. 12:141-79, 1994; Barnes and Karin, New Engl. J. Med. 336, 1066-71, 1997; Baeuerle and Baltimore, Cell 87:13-20, 1996; Grilli et al., NF-κB and Rel: Participants in a multiform transcriptional regulatory system (Academic Press, Inc., 1993), vol. 143; Baichwal and Baeuerle, Curr. Biol. 7:94-96, 1997). The prototype member of the family, NFκB, is composed of a dimer of p50 NFκB and p65 RelA (Baeuerle and Baltimore, Cell 53:211-17, 1988; Baeuerle and Baltimore, Genes Dev. 3:1689-98, 1989). NF-κB plays a pivotal role in the highly specific pattern of gene expression observed for immune, inflammatory and acute phase response genes, including interleukin 1, interleukin 8, tumor necrosis factor and certain cell adhesion molecules.

Like other members of the Rel family of transcriptional activators, NF-κB is sequestered in an inactive form in the cytoplasm of most cell types. A variety of extracellular stimuli including mitogens, cytokines, antigens, stress inducing agents, UV light and viral proteins initiate a signal transduction pathway that ultimately leads to NF-κB release and activation. Thus, inhibitors and activators of the signal transduction pathway may be used to alter the level of active NF-κB, and have potential utility in the treatment of diseases associated with NF-κB activation.

Activation of NFκB in response to each of these stimuli is controlled by an inhibitory subunit, IκB, which retains NFκB in the cytoplasm. IκB proteins, of which there are six known members, each contain 5-7 ankyrin-like repeats required for association with the NFκB/Rel dimer and for inhibitory activity (see Beg et al., Genes Dev. 7, 2064-70, 1993; Gilmore and Morin, Trends Genet. 9, 427-33, 1993; Diaz-Meco et al., Mol. Cell. Biol. 13:4770-75, 1993; Haskill et al., Cell 65:1281-89, 1991). IκB proteins include IκBα and IκBβ.

NFκB activation involves the sequential phosphorylation, ubiquitination, and degradation of IκB. Phosphorylation of IκB is highly specific for target residues. For example, phosphorylation of the IκB protein IκBα takes place at serine residues S32 and S36, and phosphorylation of IκBβ occurs at serine residues S19 and S23. The choreographed series of modification and degradation steps results in nuclear import of transcriptionally active NFκB due to the exposure of a nuclear localization signal on NFκB that was previously masked by IκB (Beg et al., Genes Dev. 6:1899-1913, 1992). Thus, NFκB activation is mediated by a signal transduction cascade that includes one or more specific IκB kinases, a linked series of E1, E2 and E3 ubiquitin enzymes, the 26S proteasome, and the nuclear import machinery. The phosphorylation of IκB is a critical step in NF-κB activation, and the identification of an IκB kinase, as well as proteins that modulate its kinase activity, would further the understanding of the activation process, as well as the development of therapeutic methods.

Several protein kinases have been found to phosphorylate IκB in vitro, including protein kinase A (Ghosh and Baltimore, Nature 344:679-82, 1990), protein kinase C (Ghosh and Baltimore, Nature 344:678-82, 1990) and double stranded RNA-dependent protein kinase (Kumar et al., Proc. Natl. Acad Sci. USA 91:6288-92, 1994). Constitutive phosphorylation of IκBα by casein kinase II has also been observed (see Barroga et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 92:763741, 1995). None of these kinases, however appear to be responsible for in vivo activation of NF-κB. For example, phosphorylation of IκBα in vitro by protein kinase A and protein kinase C prevent its association with NF-κB, and phosphorylation by double-stranded RNA-dependent protein kinase results in dissociation of NF-κB. Neither of these conform to the effect of phosphorylation in vivo, where IκBα phosphorylation at S32 and S36 does not result in dissociation from NF-κB.

Other previously unknown proteins with IκB kinase activity have been reported, but these proteins also do not appear to be significant activators in vivo. A putative IκBα kinase was identified by Kuno et al., J. Biol. Chem. 270:27914-27919, 1995, but that kinase appears to phosphorylate residues in the C-terminal region of IκBα, rather than the S32 and S36 residues known to be important for in vivo regulation. Diaz-Meco et al., EMBO J. 13:2842-2848, 1994 also identified a 50 kD IκB kinase, with uncharacterized phosphorylation sites. Schouten et al., EMBO J. 16:313344, 1997 identified p90^(rski) as a putative IκBα kinase; however, p90^(rski) is only activated by TPA and phosphorylates IκBα only on Ser32, which is insufficient to render IκBα a target for ubiquitination. Finally, Chen et al, Cell 84:853-862, 1996 identified a kinase that phosphorylates IκBα, but that kinase was identified using a non-physiological inducer of IκBα kinase activity and requires the addition of exogenous factors for in vitro phosphorylation.

Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an IκB kinase that possesses the substrate specificity and other properties of the in vivo kinase. There is also a need for improved methods for modulating the activity of proteins involved in activation of NF-κB, and for treating diseases associated with NF-κB activation. The present invention fulfills these needs and further provides other related advantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Briefly stated, the present invention provides compositions and methods employing a large, multi-subunit IKK signalsome, or a component or variant thereof. In one aspect, the present invention provides an IKK signalsome capable of specifically phosphorylating IκBα at residues S32 and S36, and IκBβ at residues 19 and 23, without the addition of exogenous cofactors.

In a further related aspect, a polypeptide comprising a component of an IKK signalsome, or a variant of such a component, is provided, wherein the component has a sequence recited in SEQ ID NO:9. An isolated DNA molecule and recombinant expression vector encoding such a polypeptide, as well as a transfected host cell, are also provided.

In another aspect, methods for preparing an IKK signalsome are provided, comprising combining components of an IKK signalsome in a suitable buffer.

In yet another aspect, methods are provided for phosphorylating a substrate of an IKK signalsome, comprising contacting a substrate with an IKK signalsome or a component thereof, and thereby phosphorylating the substrate.

In a further aspect, the present invention provides a method for screening for an agent that modulates IKK signalsome activity, comprising: (a) contacting a candidate agent with an IKK signalsome, wherein the step of contacting is carried out under conditions and for a time sufficient to allow the candidate agent and the IKK signalsome to interact; and (b) subsequently measuring the ability of the candidate agent to modulate IKK signalsome activity.

Within a related aspect, the present invention provides methods for screening for an agent that modulates IKK signalsome activity, comprising: (a) contacting a candidate agent with a polypeptide comprising a component of an IKK signalsome as described above, wherein the step of contacting is carried out under conditions and for a time sufficient to allow the candidate agent and the polypeptide to interact; and (b) subsequently measuring the ability of the candidate agent to modulate the ability of the polypeptide to phosphorylate an IκB protein.

In another aspect, an antibody is provided that binds to a component (e.g., IKK-1 (SEQ ID NO:10) and/or IKK-2 (SEQ ID NO:9)) of an IRK signalsome, where the component is capable of phosphorylating IκBα.

In further aspects, the present invention provides methods for modulating NF-κB activity in a patient, comprising administering to a patient an agent that modulates IκB kinase activity in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. Methods are also provided for treating a patient afflicted with a disorder associated with the activation of IKK signalsome, comprising administering to a patient a therapeutically effective amount of an agent that modulates IκB kinase activity in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

In yet another aspect, a method for detecting IKK signalsome activity in a sample is provided, comprising: (a) contacting a sample with an antibody that binds to an IKK signalsome under conditions and for a time sufficient to allow the antibody to immunoprecipitate an IKK signalsome; (b) separating immunoprecipitated material from the sample; and (c) determining the ability of the immunoprecipitated material to specifically phosphorylate an IκB protein with in vivo specificity. Within one such embodiment, the ability of the immunoprecipitated material to phosphorylate IκBα at residues S32 and/or S36 is determined.

In a related aspect, a kit for detecting IKK signalsome activity in a sample is provided, comprising an antibody that binds to an IKK signalsome in combination with a suitable buffer.

In a further aspect, the present invention provides a method for identifying an upstream kinase in the NF-κB signal transduction cascade, comprising evaluating the ability of a candidate upstream kinase to phosphorylate an IKK signalsome, a component thereof or a variant of such a component.

A method for identifying a component of an IKK signalsome is also provided, comprising: (a) isolating an IKK signalsome; (b) separating the signalsome into components, and (c) obtaining a partial sequence of a component.

In yet another aspect, a method is provided for preparing an IKK signalsome from a biological sample, comprising: (a) separating a biological sample into two or more fractions; and (b) monitoring IκB kinase activity in the fractions.

These and other aspects of the present invention will become apparent upon reference to the following detailed description and attached drawings. All references disclosed herein are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety as if each was incorporated individually.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A-1C are autoradiograms depicting the results of immunoblot analyses. FIG. 1A shows the recruitment of IκBα (SEQ ID NO: 1) into a high molecular weight complex upon stimulation. Cytoplasmic extracts of either unstimulated or PMA(50 ng/ml)- and PHA(1 g/ml)-stimulated (10 mm) Jurkat cells were fractionated on a gel filtration column. IκBα was visualized by immunoblot analysis. The upper panel shows the elution profile of unstimulated cells, and the lower panel shows the elution profile of PMA/PHA-stimulated cells. Molecular weight standards are indicated by arrows on the top.

FIG. 1B shows that the stimulus-dependent IκBα kinase activity chromatographs as a high molecular weight complex, M 500-700 kDa. Whole cell extract of TNFα-stimulated (20 ng/ml, 7 mm) HeLa S3 cells was fractionated on a Superdex 200 gel filtration column and monitored for IκBα kinase activity. Phosphorylation of the GST IκBα 1-54 (SEQ ID NO:3) (wildtype) substrate is indicated by an arrow to the fight. Molecular weight standards are indicated by arrows on the top.

FIG. 1C illustrates the identification of proteins that co-chromatograph with the IKK signalsome. IKK signalsome was partially purified from extracts of TNFα-stimulated HeLa S3 cells by sequential fractionation on a Q Sepharose, Superdex 200, Mono Q, and Phenyl Superose columns. Phenyl Superose fractions containing the peak of IKK signalsome activity were subjected to western blot analysis using several different antibodies as indicated to the left of each respective panel. The level of IKK signalsome activity is indicated in the upper shaded area by increasing number of (+)'s.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart depicting a representative purification procedure for the preparation of an IKK signalsome.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are autoradiograms that show the results of a Western blot analysis of the levels of IκBα in HeLa S3 cytoplasmic extracts following gel filtration. The extracts were prepared from cells that were (FIG. 3B) and were not (FIG. 3A) exposed to TNFα.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are autoradiograms depicting the results of an in vitro kinase assay in which the ability of the above cell extracts to phosphorylate the N-terminal portion of IκBα was evaluated. FIG. 4A shows the results employing an extract from cells that were not treated with TNFα, and FIG. 4B shows the results when the cells were treated with TNFα.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are autoradiograms depicting the results of an in vitro kinase assay using a cytoplasmic extract of TNFα-treated HeLa S3 cells, where the extract is subjected to Q Sepharose fractionation. The substrate was the truncated I IκBα (residues 1 to 54) (SEQ ID NO:3), with FIG. 5A showing the results obtained with the wild type IκBα sequence and FIG. 5B presenting the results obtained using a polypeptide containing threonine substitutions at positions 32 and 36.

FIGS. 6A and 6B are autoradiograms depicting the results of an in vitro kinase assay using a cytoplasmic extract of TNFα-treated HeLa S3 cells, where the extract was subjected in series to chromatographic fractionation by Q Sepharose, Superdex 200, Mono Q Sepharose and Phenyl Superose. The substrate was the truncated IκBα (residues 1 to 54) (SEQ ID NO: 3), with FIG. 6A showing the results obtained with the wild type IκBα sequence and FIG. 6B presenting the results obtained using a polypeptide containing threonine substitutions at positions 32 and 36.

FIG. 7 is an autoradiogram showing the results of immunokinase assays (using anti-MKP-1 antibody) performed using cytoplasmic extracts of TNFα-treated HeLa S3 cells following gel filtration. The assay was performed using the substrates GST-IκBα 1-54 wildtype (SEQ ID NO:3) (lane 1) and GST-IκBα 1-54 S32/36 to T (SEQ ID NO:5) (lane 2). The positions of IκBα and GST-IκBα 1-54 are indicated on the left.

FIGS. 8A-8C are autoradiograms depicting the results of immunoblot analyses. In FIG. 8A, the upper panel presents a time course for the induction of signalsome activity. Anti MKP-1 immune precipitates from extracts of HeLa S3 cells stimulated with TNFα (20 ng/ml) for the indicated times, were assayed for IKK signalsome activity by standard immune complex kinase assays. 4 μg of either GST IκBα 1-54 WT (wildtype) (SEQ ID NO:3) or the GST IκBα 1-54 S32/36 to T mutant (S>T) (SEQ ID NO:5) were used as the substrates. In the lower panel, HeLa cell extracts prepared as described in the upper panel were examined by western blot analysis for IκBα degradation. IκBα supershifting phosphorylation can be seen after 3 and 5 minutes of stimulation followed by the disappearance of 11IκBα.

FIG. 8B illustrates the stimulus-dependent activation of IKK signalsome, which is blocked by TPCK. Anti-MKP-1 immunoprecipitates from cell extracts of HeLa S3 cells either stimulated for 7 mm with TNFα (20 ng/ml, lane 2 and 6), IL-1 (10 ng/ml, lane 3), PMA (50 ng/ml, lane 4) or pretreated for 30 mm with TPCK (15 μM, lane 7) prior to TNFα-induction were examined for IKK signalsome activity. GST IκBα 1-54 WT (SEQ ID NO:3) (4 μg) was used as a substrate.

FIG. 8C illustrates the ability of IKK signalsome to specifically phosphorylate serines 32 and 36 of the IκBα holoprotein in the context of a ReIA: IκBα complex. Anti-MKP-1 immunoprecipitates from cell extracts of HeLa S3 cells stimulated with TNFα (20 ng/ml, 7 mm) were examined for their ability to phosphorylate baculoviral expressed RelA: IκBα complex containing either the IκBα WT (lane 3) or IκBα S32/36 to T mutant (SEQ ID NO:5) (lane 4) holoprotein. The specific substrates used are indicated on the top. Positions of the phosphorylated substrates are indicated by arrows to the left of the panel.

FIG. 9A is an autoradiogram depicting the results of an immunokinase assay in which peptides are phosphorylated by the IKK signalsome. In the top panel, IκBα (21-41) (SEQ ID NO: 11) peptides that were unphosphorylated or chemically phosphorylated on 32 either Ser-32 or Ser-36 were incubated with the IKK signalsome in the presence of γ-[³²P]-ATP. The doubly phosphorylated peptide P32,36 was not phosphorylated by the IKK signalsome, and the unrelated c-Fos (222-241) phosphopeptide (SEQ ID NO: 13) with free serine and threonine residues did not function as a signalsome substrate.

FIG. 9B is a graph illustrating the inhibition of phosphorylation of GST-IκBα (1-54) (SEQ ID NO:3) by IκBα (21-41) (SEQ ID NO:11) peptides. IκBα (21-41) (SEQ ID NO:11 peptide P32,36 inhibits GST-IκBα (1-54) (SEQ ID NO:3) as a product inhibitor with a K1 value of 14 μM. The unrelated phosphopeptide c-Fos (222-241) (SEQ ID NO:13) does not function as an inhibitor. This assay only detects precipitated ³²P-labeled proteins, not ³²P-labeled peptides. Addition of the singly- or non-phosphorylated IκBα (21-41) (SEQ ID NO:11 peptides results in less phosphorylation of GST-IκBα (1-54) (SEQ ID NO:3) and apparent inhibition.

FIG. 10 is an autoradiogram showing the results of a western blot analysis of the level of ubiquitin within a stimulus-inducible IκB kinase complex. Lane 1 shows the detection of 100 ng ubiquitin, Lane 2 shows 10 ng ubiquitin and Lane 3 shows 3.4 μg of IKK signalsome purified through the phenyl superose step (sufficient quantities for 10 kinase reactions). The position of ubiquitin is shown by the arrow on the left.

FIG. 11A illustrates a procedure for purification of the IKK signalsome. A whole cell extract was prepared from TNFα-stimulated (20 ng/ml, 7 minute induction) HeLa S3 cells (1.2 g total protein). The IKK signalsome was then immunoprecipitated from the extract using anti-MKP-1 antibodies, washed with buffer containing 3.5 M urea and eluted overnight at 4° C. in the presence of excess MKP-1 specific peptide. Eluted IKK signalsome was then fractionated on a Mono Q column, IκB kinase active fractions were pooled, concentrated and subjected to preparative SDS-PAGE. Individual protein bands were excised and submitted for peptide sequencing.

FIG. 11B is a photograph showing Mono Q fractions containing active IKK signalsome activity following SDS-PAGE and a standard silver stain protocol. Peak activity of IKK signalsome activity is represented in lanes 3, 4, and 5. Protein bands corresponding to IKK-1 and IKK-2 are indicated to the left of the figure. Molecular weight standards (kDa) are indicated to the left of the figure.

FIGS. 12A and 12B are mass spectra obtained during sequencing of IKK-2 by nanoelectrospray mass spectrometry. FIG. 12A shows part of the mass spectrum of the unseparated mixture of tryptic peptides resulting from in-gel digestion of the IKK-2 band in FIG. 11B. FIG. 12B shows a tandem mass spectrum of the peak at m/z 645.2.

FIG. 13A illustrates the amino acid sequence of IKK-1 (SEQ ID NO:10) and IKK-2 (SEQ ID NO:9). Symbols: arrows, boundaries of the kinase domain; underlined, peptide sequences identified by nanoelectrospray mass spectrometry; asterisks, indicates leucines comprising the leucine zipper motif; bold face, indicate amino acid identities conserved between IKK-1 and IKK-2; highlighted box, Helix-loop-helix domain; dashes, a gap inserted to optimize alignment.

FIG. 13B is an autoradiogram depicting the results of Northern blot analysis of IKK-2 mRNA in adult human tissue. The source of the tissue is indicated at the top. Probes spanning the coding region of human IKK-2 and β-actin cDNA were used and are indicated to the left. Molecular weight standards are indicated to the right.

FIG. 14A is an autoradiogram depicting the results of kinase assays using IKK-1 (SEQ ID NO: 10) and IKK-2 (SEQ ID NO:9). IKK-1 and IKK-2 were immunoprecipitated from rabbit reticulocyte lysates phosphorylate IκBα and IκBα. Either HA-tagged IKK-1 (lane 1) or Flag-tagged IKK-2 (lane 2) were translated in rabbit reticulocyte lysates, immunoprecipitated, and examined for their ability to phosphorylate GST IκBα 1-54 WT (SEQ ID NO:4) and GST IκBα 1-44 as indicated by an arrow to the left. IKK-1 (lane 1) undergoes significant autophosphorylation in contrast to IKK-2 (lane 2) which is identified only with longer exposure times.

FIGS. 14B and 14C are micrographs illustrating the results of assays to evaluate the ability of kinase-inactive mutants of IKK-1 and IKK-2 to inhibit RelA translocation in TNFα-stimulated HeLa cells HeLa cells were transiently transfected with either HA-tagged IKK-1 K44 to M mutant (14B) or Flag-tagged IKK-2 K44 to M mutant (14C) expression vectors. 36 hours post-transfection cells were either not stimulated (Unstim) or TNFα-stimulated (20 ng/ml) for 30 min (TNFα), as indicated to the right of the figure. Cells were then subjected to immunofluorescence staining using anti-HA of anti-Flag antibodies to visualize expression of IKK-1 K44 to M or IKK-2 K44 to M, respectively. Stimulus-dependent translocation of Rel A was monitored using anti-Rel A antibodies. Antibodies used are indicated to the top of the figure. IKK mutant transfected is indicated to the left of the figure.

FIGS. 15A and 15B are autoradiograms of immunoprecipitated IKK-1 and IKK-2 following in vitro translation. In FIG. 15A, HA-tagged IKK-1 and Flag-tagged IKK-2 were in vitro translated in wheat germ lysates either separately or in combination, as indicated. The programmed translation mix was then subjected to immunoprecipitation using the indicated antibody. The samples were run on SDS-PAGE and subjected to autoradiography. In FIG. 15B, HA-tagged IKK-1 and Flag-tagged IKK-2 were in vitro translated in rabbit reticulocyte lysates either separately or in combination, as indicated. The programmed translation mix was then subjected to immunoprecipitation using the indicated antibody. The samples were run on SDS-PAGE and subjected to autoradiography. The results show that IKK-1 and IKK-2 coprecipitate when translated in rabbit reticulocyte lysates.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As noted above, the present invention is generally directed to compositions and methods for modulating (i.e., stimulating or inhibiting) signal transduction leading to NF-κB activation. In particular, the present invention is directed to compositions comprising an IκB kinase (IKK) signalsome (also referred to herein as a “stimulus-inducible IκB kinase complex” or “IκB kinase complex”) that is capable of stimulus-dependent phosphorylation of IκBα and IκBβ on the two N-terminal serine residues critical for the subsequent ubiquitination and degradation in vivo. Such stimulus-dependent phosphorylation may be achieved without the addition of exogenous cofactors. In particular, an IKK signalsome specifically phosphorylates Iκbα (SEQ ID NO:1) at residues S32 and S36 and phosphorylates IκBβ (SEQ ID NO:2) at residues S19 and S23. The present invention also encompasses compositions that contain one or more components of such an IKK signalsome, or variants of such components. Preferred components, referred to herein as “IKK signalsome kinases” “IκB kinases” or IKKs) are kinases that, when incorporated into an IKK signalsome, are capable of phosphorylating IκBα at S32 and S36. Particularly preferred components are IKK-1 (SEQ ID NO:10) and IKK-2 (SEQ ID NO:9).

An IKK signalsome and/or IκB kinase may generally be used for phosphorylating a substrate (i.e., an IκB, such as IκBα, or a portion or variant thereof that can be phosphorylated at those residues that are phosphorylated in vivo) and for identifying modulators of IκB kinase activity. Such modulators and methods employing them for modulating IκBα kinase activity, in vivo and/or in vitro, are also encompassed by the present invention. In general, compositions that inhibit IκB kinase activity may inhibit IκB phosphorylation, or may inhibit the activation of an IκB kinase and/or IKK signalsome.

An IKK signalsome has several distinctive properties. Such a complex is stable (i.e., its components remain associated following purification as described herein) and has a high-molecular weight (about 500-700 kD, as determined by gel filtration chromatography). As shown in FIGS. 3 (A and B) and 4 (A and B), IκB kinase activity of an IKK signalsome is “stimulus-inducible” in that it is stimulated by TNFα (i.e., treatment of cells with TNFα results in increased IκB kinase activity and IκB degradation) and/or by one or more other inducers of NF-κB, such as IL-1, LPS, TPA, UV irradiation, antigens, viral proteins and stress-inducing agents. The kinetics of stimulation by TNFα correspond to those found in vivo. IκB kinase activity of an IKK signalsome is also specific for S32 and S36 of IκBα. As shown in FIGS. 5 (A and B) and 6 (A and B), an IKK signalsome is capable of phosphorylating a polypeptide having the N-terminal sequence of IκBα (GST-IκBα1-54; SEQ ID NO:3), but such phosphorylation cannot be detected in an IκBα derivative containing threonine substitutions at positions 32 and 36. In addition, IκB kinase activity is strongly inhibited by a doubly phosphorylated IκBα peptide (i.e., phosphorylated at S32 and S36), but not by an unrelated c-fos phosphopeptide that contains a single phosphothreonine. A further characteristic of an IKK signalsome is its ability to phosphorylate a substrate in vitro in a standard kinase buffer, without the addition of exogenous cofactors. Free ubiquitin is not detectable in preparations of IKK signalsome (see FIG. 10), even at very long exposures. Accordingly an IKK signalsome differs from the ubiquitin-dependent IκBα kinase activity described by Chen et al., Cell 84:853-62, 1996.

An IKK signalsome may be immunoprecipitated by antibodies raised against MKP-1 (MAP kinase phosphatase-1; Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Inc., Santa Cruz, Calif. #SC-1102), and its activity detected using an in vitro IκBα kinase assay. However, as discussed further below, MKP-1 does not appear to be a component of IκB kinase complex. The substrate specificity of the immunoprecipitated IKK signalsome is maintained (i.e., there is strong phosphorylation of wildtype GST-IκBα 1-54 (SEQ ID NO:3) and GST-Iκbα 1-44 (SEQ ID NO:4), and substantially no detectable phosphorylation of GST-IκBα 1-54 in which serines 32 and 36 are replaced by threonines (GST-IκBα S32/36 to T; SEQ ID NO:5) or GST-Iκβ 1-44 in which serines 19 and 23 are replaced by alanines (GST-IκBβ 1-44 S19/123 to A; SEQ ID NO:6)).

An IKK signalsome may be isolated from human or other cells, and from any of a variety of tissues and/or cell types. For example, using standard protocols, cytoplasmic and/or nuclear/membrane extracts may be prepared from HeLa S3 cells following seven minutes induction with 30 ng/mL TNFα. The extracts may then be subjected to a series of chromatographic steps that includes Q Sepharose, gel filtration (HiLoad 16/60 Superdex 200), Mono Q, Phenyl Superose, gel filtration (Superdex 200 10/30) and Mono Q. This representative purification procedure is illustrated in FIG. 2, and results in highly enriched IKK signalsome (compare, for example, FIGS. 5A and 6A).

An alternative purification procedure employs a two-step affinity method, based on recognition of IKK signalsome by the MKP-1 antibody (FIG. 11A). Whole cell lysates from TNFα-stimulated HeLa cells may be immunoprecipitated with an anti-MKP-1 antibody. The IKK signalsome may be eluted with the specific MKP-1 peptide to which the antibody was generated and fractionated further on a Mono Q column.

Throughout the fractionation, an in vitro kinase assay may be used to monitor the IκB kinase activity of the IKK signalsome. In such an assay, the ability of a fraction to phosphorylate an appropriate substrate (such as IκBα (SEQ ID NO:1) or a derivative or variant thereof) is evaluated by any of a variety of means that will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. For example, a substrate may be combined with a chromatographic fraction in a protein kinase buffer containing ³²P γ-ATP, phosphatase inhibitors and protease inhibitors. The mixture may be incubated for 30 minutes at 30° C. The reaction may then be stopped by the addition of SDS sample buffer and analyzed using SDS-PAGE with subsequent autoradiography. Suitable substrates include full length IκBα (SEQ ID NO:1), polypeptides comprising the N-terminal 54 amino acids of IκBα, full length IκBβ (SEQ ID NO:2) and polypeptides comprising the N-terminal 44 amino acids of IκBβ. Any of these substrates may be used with or without an N-terminal tag. One suitable substrate is a protein containing residues 1-54 of IκBα and an N-terminal GST tag (referred to herein as GST-IκBα 1-54; SEQ ID NO:3). To evaluate the specificity of an IκB kinase complex, IκBα mutants containing threonine or alanine residues at positions 32 and 36, and/or other modifications, may be employed.

Alternatively, an IKK signalsome may be prepared from its components which are also encompassed by the present invention. Such components may be produced using well known recombinant techniques, as described in greater detail below. Components of an IKK signalsome may be native, or may be variants of a native component (i.e., a component sequence may differ from the native sequence in one or more substitutions and/or modifications, provided that the ability of a complex comprising the component variant to specifically phosphorylate IκBα is not substantially diminished). Substitutions and/or modifications may generally be made in non-critical and/or critical regions of the native protein. Variants may generally comprise residues of L-amino acids, D-amino acids, or any combination thereof. Amino acids may be naturally-occurring or may be non-natural, provided that at least one amino group and at least one carboxyl group are present in the molecule; α- and β-amino acids are generally preferred. A variant may also contain one or more rare amino acids (such as 4-hydroxyproline or hydroxylysine), organic acids or amides and/or derivatives of common amino acids, such as amino acids having the C-terminal carboxylate esterified (e.g., benzyl, methyl or ethyl ester) or amidated and/or having modifications of the N-terminal amino group (e.g., acetylation or alkoxycarbonylation), with or without any of a wide variety of side-chain modifications and/or substitutions (e.g., methylation, benzylation, t-butylation, tosylation, alkoxycarbonylation, and the like). Component variants may also, or alternatively, contain other modifications, including the deletion or addition of amino acids that have minimal influence on the activity of the polypeptide. In particular, variants may contain additional amino acid sequences at the amino and/or carboxy termini. Such sequences may be used, for example, to facilitate purification or detection of the component polypeptide. In general, the effect of one or more substitutions and/or modifications may be evaluated using the representative assays provided herein.

A component may generally be prepared from a DNA sequence that encodes the component using well known recombinant methods. DNA sequences encoding components of an IKK signalsome may be isolated by, for example, screening a suitable expression library (i.e., a library prepared from a cell line or tissue that expresses IKK signalsome, such as spleen, leukocytes, HeLa cells or Jurkat cells) with antibodies raised against IKK signalsome or against one or more components thereof. Protein components may then be prepared by expression of the identified DNA sequences, using well known recombinant techniques.

Alternatively, partial sequences of the components may be obtained using standard biochemical purification and micro sequencing techniques. For example, purified complex as described above may be run on an SDS-PAGE gel and individual bands may be isolated and subjected to protein micro sequencing. DNA sequences encoding components may then be prepared by amplification from a suitable human cDNA library, using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and methods well known to those of ordinary skill in the art. For example, an adapter-ligated cDNA library prepared from a cell line or tissue that expresses IKK signalsome (such as HeLa or Jurkat cells) may be screened using a degenerate 5′ specific forward primer and an adapter-specific primer. Degenerate oligonucleotides may also be used to screen a cDNA library, using methods well known to those of ordinary skill in the art. In addition, known proteins may be identified via Western blot analysis using specific antibodies.

Components of an IKK signalsome may also be identified by performing any of a variety of protein-protein interaction assays known to those of ordinary skill in the art. For example, a known component can be used as “bait” in standard two-hybrid screens to identify other regulatory molecules, which may include IKK-1, IKK-2, NFκB1, RelA, IκBβ and/or p70 S6 kinase (Kieran et al., Cell 62:1007-1018, 1990; Nolan et al., Cell 64:961-69, 1991; Thompson et al., Cell 80:573-82, 1995; Grove et al., Mol. Cell. Biol. 11:5541-50, 1991).

Particularly preferred components of IKK signalsome are IκB kinases. An IκB kinase may be identified based upon its ability to phosphorylate one or more IκB proteins, which may be readily determined using the representative kinase assays described herein. In general, an IκB kinase is incorporated into an IKK signalsome, as described herein, prior to performing such assays, since an IκB kinase that is not complex-associated may not display the same phosphorylation activity as complex-associated IκB kinase. As noted above, an IκB kinase within an IKK signalsome specifically phosphorylates IκBβ at residues S32 and S36, and phosphorylates IκBβ at residues 19 and 23, in response to specific stimuli.

As noted above, IKK-1 (SEQ ID NO: 10) and IKK-2 (SEQ ID NO:9) are particularly preferred IκBα kinases. IKK-1 and IKK-2 may be prepared by pooling the fractions from the Mono Q column containing peak IκBα kinase activity and subjecting the pooled fractions to preparative SDS gel electrophoresis. The intensity of two prominent protein bands of ˜85 and ˜87 kDa (indicated by silver stain in FIG. 11B as IKK-1 and IKK-2 respectively) correlates with the profile of 1 KB kinase activity. The ˜85 kDa band, corresponding to IKK-1, has been identified, within the context of the present invention, as CHUK (conserved helix-loop-helix ubiquitous kinase; see Connely and Marcu, Cell. Mol. Biol. Res. 41:537-49,1995). The ˜87 kDa band contains IKK-2.

Sequence analysis reveals that IKK-1 (SEQ ID NO:10) and IKK-2 (SEQ ID NO:9) are related protein serine kinases (51% identity) containing protein interaction motifs (FIG. 13A). Both IKK-1 and IKK-2 contain the kinase domain at the N-terminus, and a leucine zipper motif and a helix-loop-helix motif in their C-terminal regions. Northern analysis indicates that mRNAs encoding IKK-2 are widely distributed in human tissues, with transcript sizes of 4.5 kb and 6 kb (FIG. 13B). The sequences of IKK-1 and IKK-2 are also provided as SEQ ID NOs: 7 and 8, respectively.

It has been found, within the context of the present invention, that rabbit reticulocyte lysate immunoprecipitates that contain IKK-1 or IKK-2 phosphorylate IκBα and IκBβ with the correct substrate specificity (see FIG. 14A) Altered versions of these kinases interfere with translocation of RelA to the nucleus of TNFα-stimulated HeLa cells. Accordingly, IKK-1 and IKK-2 appear to control a significant early step of NFκB activation.

Other components of an IKK signalsome are also contemplated by the present invention. Such components may include, but are not limited to, upstream kinases such as MEKK-1 (Lee et al., Cell 88:213-22, 1997; Hirano et al., J. Biol. Chem. 271:13234-38, 1996) or NIK (Malinin et al., Nature 385:540-44, 1997); adapter proteins that mediate an IKK-1:IKK-2 interaction; a component that crossreacts with anti-MKP-1; an inducible RelA kinase; and/or the E3 ubiquitin ligase that transfers multiubiquitin chains to phosphorylated IκB (Hershko and Ciechanover, Annu. Rev. Biochem. 61:761-807, 1992).

A component of an IKK signalsome may generally be prepared from DNA encoding the component by expression of the DNA in cultured host cells, which may be stable cell lines or transiently transfected cells. Preferably, the host cells are bacteria, yeast, baculovirus-infected insect cells or mammalian cells. The recombinant DNA may be cloned into any expression vector suitable for use within the host cell, using techniques well known to those of ordinary skill in the art. An expression vector may, but need not, include DNA encoding an epitope, such that the recombinant protein contains the epitope at the N- or C-terminus. Epitopes such as glutathione-S transferase protein (GST), HA (hemagglutinin)-tag, FLAG and Histidine-tag may be added using techniques well known to those of ordinary skill in the art.

The DNA sequences expressed in this manner may encode native components of an IKK signalsome, or may encode portions or variants of native components, as described above. DNA molecules encoding variants may generally be prepared using standard mutagenesis techniques, such as oligonucleotide-directed site-specific mutagenesis. Sections of the DNA sequence may also, or alternatively, be removed to permit preparation of truncated polypeptides and DNA encoding additional sequences such as “tags” may be added to the 5′ or 3′ end of the DNA molecule.

IKK signalsome components may generally be used to reconstitute IKK signalsome. Such reconstitution may be achieved in vitro by combining IKK signalsome components in a suitable buffer. Alternatively, reconstitution may be achieved in vivo by expressing components in a suitable host cell, such as HeLa or HUVEC, as described herein.

Expressed IKK signalsome, or a component thereof, may be isolated in substantially pure form. Preferably, IKK signalsome or a component is isolated to a purity of at least 80% by weight, more preferably to a purity of at least 95% by weight, and most preferably to a purity of at least 99% by weight. In general, such purification may be achieved using, for example, the representative purification methods described herein or the standard techniques of ammonium sulfate fractionation, SDS-PAGE electrophoresis, and affinity chromatography. IKK signalsome and components for use in the methods of the present invention may be native, purified or recombinant.

In one aspect of the present invention, an IKK signalsome and/or one or more components thereof may be used to identify modulating agents, which may be antibodies (e.g., monoclonal), polynucleotides or other drugs, that inhibit or stimulate signal transduction via the NF-κB cascade. Modulation includes the suppression or enhancement of NF-κB activity. Modulation may also include suppression or enhancement of IκB phosphorylation or the stimulation or inhibition of the ability of activated (i e., phosphorylated) IKK signalsome to phosphorylate a substrate. Compositions that inhibit NF-κB activity by inhibiting IκB phosphorylation may include one or more agents that inhibit or block IκBα kinase activity, such as an antibody that neutralizes IKK signalsome, a competing peptide that represents the substrate binding domain of IκB kinase or a phosphorylation motif of IκB, an antisense polynucleotide or ribozyme that interferes with transcription and/or translation of IκB kinase, a molecule that inactivates IKK signalsome by binding to the complex, a molecule that binds to IκB and prevents phosphorylation by IKK signalsome or a molecule that prevents transfer of phosphate groups from the kinase to the substrate. Within certain embodiments, a modulating agent inhibits or enhances the expression or activity of IKK-1 and/or IKK-2.

In general, modulating agents may be identified by combining a test compound with an IKK signalsome, IκB kinase or a polynucleotide encoding an IκB kinase in vitro or in vivo, and evaluating the effect of the test compound on the IκB kinase activity using, for example, a representative assay described herein. An increase or decrease in kinase activity can be measured by adding a radioactive compound, such as ³²P-ATP and observing radioactive incorporation into a suitable substrate for IKK signalsome, thereby determining whether the compound inhibits or stimulates kinase activity. Briefly, a candidate agent may be included in a reaction mixture containing compounds necessary for the kinase reaction (as described herein) and IκB substrate, along with IKK signalsome, IκB kinase or a polynucleotide encoding an IκB kinase. In general, a suitable amount of antibody or other agent for use in such an assay ranges from about 0.01 μM to about 10 μM. The effect of the agent on IκB kinase activity may then be evaluated by quantitating the incorporation of [³²P]phosphate into an IκB such as IκBα (or a derivative or variant thereof), and comparing the level of incorporation with that achieved using IκB kinase without the addition of a candidate agent. Alternatively, the effect of a candidate modulating agent on transcription of an IκB kinase may be measured, for example, by Northern blot analysis or a promoter/reporter-based whole cell assay.

Alternatively, for assays in which the test compound is combined with an IKK signalsome, the effect on a different IKK signalsome activity may be assayed. For example, an IKK signalsome also displays p65 kinase activity and IKK phosphatase activity. Assays to evaluate the effect of a test compound on such activities may be performed using well known techniques. For example, assays for p65 kinase activity may generally be performed as described by Zhong et al., Cell 89:413-24, 1997. For phosphatase activity, an assay may generally be performed as described by Sullivan et al., J. Biomolecular Screening 2:19-24, 1997, using a recombinant phosphorylated IκB kinase as a substrate.

In another aspect of the present invention, IKK signalsome or IκB kinase may be used for phosphorylating an IκB such as IκBα (or a derivative or variant thereof) so as to render it a target for ubiquitination and subsequent degradation. IκB may be phosphorylated in vitro by incubating IKK signalsome or IκB kinase with IκB in a suitable buffer for 30 minutes at 30° C. In general, about 0.01 μg to about 9 μg of IκB kinase complex is sufficient to phosphorylate from about 0.5 μg to about 2 μg of IκB. Phosphorylated substrate may then be purified by binding to GSH-sepharose and washing. The extent of substrate phosphorylation may generally be monitored by adding [γ-³²P]ATP to a test aliquot, and evaluating the level of substrate phosphorylation as described herein.

An IKK signalsome, component thereof, modulating agent and/or polynucleotide encoding a component and/or modulating agent may also be used to modulate NF-κB activity in a patient. Such modulation may occur by any of a variety of mechanisms including, but not limited to, direct inhibition or enhancement of IκB phosphorylation using a component or modulating agent; or inhibiting upstream activators, such as NIK or MEK, with IKK signalsome or a component thereof. As used herein, a “patient” may be any mammal, including a human, and may be afflicted with a disease associated with IκB kinase activation and the NF-κB cascade, or may be free of detectable disease. Accordingly, the treatment may be of an existing disease or may be prophylactic. Diseases associated with the NF-κB cascade include inflammatory diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, autoimmune diseases, cancer and viral infection.

Treatment may include administration of an IKK signalsome, a component thereof and/or an agent which modulates IκB kinase activity. For administration to a patient, one or more such compounds are generally formulated as a pharmaceutical composition. A pharmaceutical composition may be a sterile aqueous or non-aqueous solution, suspension or emulsion, which additionally comprises a physiologically acceptable carrier (i.e., a non-toxic material that does not interfere with the activity of the active ingredient). Any suitable carrier known to those of ordinary skill in the art may be employed in the pharmaceutical compositions of the present invention. Representative carriers include physiological saline solutions, gelatin, water, alcohols, natural or synthetic oils, saccharide solutions, glycols, injectable organic esters such as ethyl oleate or a combination of such materials. Optionally, a pharmaceutical composition may additionally contain preservatives and/or other additives such as, for example, antimicrobial agents, anti-oxidants, chelating agents and/or inert gases, and/or other active ingredients.

Alternatively, a pharmaceutical composition may comprise a polynucleotide encoding a component of an IKK signalsome and/or a modulating agent (such that the component and/or modulating agent is generated in situ) in combination with a physiologically acceptable carrier. In such pharmaceutical compositions, the polynucleotide may be present within any of a variety of delivery systems known to those of ordinary skill in the art, including nucleic acid, bacterial and viral expression systems, as well as colloidal dispersion systems, including liposomes. Appropriate nucleic acid expression systems contain the necessary polynucleotide sequences for expression in the patient (such as a suitable promoter and terminating signal). DNA may also be “naked,” as described, for example, in Ulmer et al., Science 259:1745-49, 1993.

Various viral vectors that can be used to introduce a nucleic acid sequence into the targeted patient's cells include, but are not limited to, vaccinia or other pox virus, herpes virus, retrovirus, or adenovirus. Techniques for incorporating DNA into such vectors are well known to those of ordinary skill in the art. Preferably, the retroviral vector is a derivative of a murine or avian retrovirus including, but not limited to, Moloney murine leukemia virus (MoMuLV), Harvey murine sarcoma virus (HaMuSV), murine mammary tumor virus (MuMTV), and Rous Sarcoma Virus (RSV). A retroviral vector may additionally transfer or incorporate a gene for a selectable marker (to aid in the identification or selection of transduced cells) and/or a gene that encodes the ligand for a receptor on a specific target cell (to render the vector target specific). For example, retroviral vectors can be made target specific by inserting a nucleotide sequence encoding a sugar, a glycolipid, or a protein. Targeting may also be accomplished using an antibody, by methods known to those of ordinary skill in the art.

Viral vectors are typically non-pathogenic (defective), replication competent viruses, which require assistance in order to produce infectious vector particles. This assistance can be provided, for example, by using helper cell lines that contain plasmids that encode all of the structural genes of the retrovirus under the control of regulatory sequences within the LTR, but that are missing a nucleotide sequence which enables the packaging mechanism to recognize an RNA transcript for encapsulation. Such helper cell lines include (but are not limited to) Ψ2, PA317 and PA12. A retroviral vector introduced into such cells can be packaged and vector virion produced. The vector virions produced by this method can then be used to infect a tissue cell line, such as NIH 3T3 cells, to produce large quantities of chimeric retroviral virions.

Another targeted delivery system for polynucleotides is a colloidal dispersion system. Colloidal dispersion systems include macromolecule complexes, nanocapsules, microspheres, beads, and lipid-based systems including oil-in-water emulsions, micelles, mixed micelles, and liposomes. A preferred colloidal system for use as a delivery vehicle in vitro and in vivo is a liposome (i.e., an artificial membrane vesicle). It has been shown that large unilamellar vesicles (LUV), which range in size from 0.2-4.0 μm can encapsulate a substantial percentage of an aqueous buffer containing large macromolecules. RNA, DNA and intact virions can be encapsulated within the aqueous interior and be delivered to cells in a biologically active form (Fraley, et al., Trends Biochem. Sci. 6:77, 1981). In addition to mammalian cells, liposomes have been used for delivery of polynucleotides in plant, yeast and bacterial cells. In order for a liposome to be an efficient gene transfer vehicle, the following characteristics should be present: (1) encapsulation of the genes of interest at high efficiency while not compromising their biological activity; (2) preferential and substantial binding to a target cell in comparison to non-target cells; (3) delivery of the aqueous contents of the vesicle to the target cell cytoplasm at high efficiency; and (4) accurate and effective expression of genetic information (Mannino, et al., Biotechniques 6:882, 1988).

The targeting of liposomes can be classified based on anatomical and mechanistic factors. Anatomical classification is based on the level of selectivity and may be, for example, organ-specific, cell-specific, and/or organelle-specific. Mechanistic targeting can be distinguished based upon whether it is passive or active. Passive targeting utilizes the natural tendency of liposomes to distribute to cells of the reticuloendothelial system (RES) in organs which contain sinusoidal capillaries. Active targeting, on the other hand, involves alteration of the liposome by coupling the liposome to a specific ligand such as a monoclonal antibody, sugar, glycolipid, or protein, or by changing the composition or size of the liposome in order to achieve targeting to organs and cell types other than the naturally occurring sites of localization.

Routes and frequency of administration, as well doses, will vary from patient to patient. In general, the pharmaceutical compositions may be administered intravenously, intraperitoneally, intramuscularly, subcutaneously, intracavity or transdermally. Between 1 and 6 doses may be administered daily. A suitable dose is an amount that is sufficient to show improvement in the symptoms of a patient afflicted with a disease associated with the NF-κB cascade. Such improvement may be detected by monitoring inflammatory responses (e.g., edema, transplant rejection, hypersensitivity) or through an improvement in clinical symptoms associated with the disease. The dosage may generally vary depending on the nature of the modulating agent and the disease to be treated. Typically, the amount of modulating agent present in a dose, or produced in situ by DNA present in a dose, ranges from about 1 μg to about 200 mg per kg of host. Suitable dose sizes will vary with the size of the patient, but will typically range from about 10 mL to about 500 mL for 10-60 kg animal.

In another aspect, the present invention provides methods for detecting the level of stimulus-inducible IκB kinase activity in a sample. The level of IκB kinase activity may generally be determined via an immunokinase assay, in which IKK signalsome is first immunoprecipitated with an antibody that binds to the complex. The immunoprecipitated material is then subjected to a kinase assay as described herein. Substrate specificity may be further evaluated as described herein to distinguish the activity of a stimulus-inducible IκB kinase complex from other kinase activities.

The present invention also provides methods for detecting the level of IKK signalsome, or a component thereof, in a sample. The amount of IKK signalsome, IκB kinase or nucleic acid encoding IκB kinase, may generally be determined using a reagent that binds to IκB kinase, or to DNA or RNA encoding a component thereof. To detect nucleic acid encoding a component, standard hybridization and/or PCR techniques may be employed using a nucleic acid probe or a PCR primer. Suitable probes and primers may be designed by those of ordinary skill in the art based on the component sequence. To detect IKK signalsome or a component thereof, the reagent is typically an antibody, which may be prepared as described below.

There are a variety of assay formats known to those of ordinary skill in the art for using an antibody to detect a protein in a sample. See, e.g., Harlow and Lane, Antibodies: A Laboratory Manual, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1988. For example, the antibody may be immobilized on a solid support such that it can bind to and remove the protein from the sample. The bound protein may then be detected using a second antibody that binds to the antibody/protein complex and contains a detectable reporter group. Alternatively, a competitive assay may be utilized, in which protein that binds to the immobilized antibody is labeled with a reporter group and allowed to bind to the immobilized antibody after incubation of the antibody with the sample. The extent to which components of the sample inhibit the binding of the labeled protein to the antibody is indicative of the level of protein within the sample. Suitable reporter groups for use in these methods include, but are not limited to, enzymes (e.g. horseradish peroxidase), substrates, cofactors, inhibitors, dyes, radionuclides, luminescent groups, fluorescent groups and biotin.

Antibodies encompassed by the present invention may be polyclonal or monoclonal, and may bind to IKK signalsome and/or one or more components thereof (e.g., IKK-1 (SEQ ID NO: 10) and/or IKK-2 (SEQ ID NO:9)). Preferred antibodies are those antibodies that inhibit or block IκB kinase activity in vivo and within an in vitro assay, as described above. Other preferred antibodies are those that bind to one or more IκB proteins. As noted above, antibodies and other agents having a desired effect on IκB kinase activity may be administered to a patient (either prophylactically or for treatment of an existing disease) to modulate the phosphorylation of an IκB, such as IκBα, in vivo.

Antibodies may be prepared by any of a variety of techniques known to those of ordinary skill in the art (see, e.g., Harlow and Lane, Antibodies: A Laboratory Manual, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1988). In one such technique, an immunogen comprising the protein of interest is initially injected into a suitable animal (e.g., mice, rats, rabbits, sheep and goats), preferably according to a predetermined schedule incorporating one or more booster immunizations, and the animals are bled periodically. Polyclonal antibodies specific for the protein may then be purified from such antisera by, for example, affinity chromatography using the protein coupled to a suitable solid support.

Monoclonal antibodies specific for an IKK signalsome or a component thereof may be prepared, for example, using the technique of Kohler and Milstein, Eur. J. Immunol. 6:511-519, 1976, and improvements thereto. Briefly, these methods involve the preparation of immortal cell lines capable of producing antibodies having the desired specificity (i.e., reactivity with the complex and/or component of interest). Such cell lines may be produced, for example, from spleen cells obtained from an animal immunized as described above. The spleen cells are then immortalized by, for example, fusion with a myeloma cell fusion partner, preferably one that is syngeneic with the immunized animal. For example, the spleen cells and myeloma cells may be combined with a nonionic detergent for a few minutes and then plated at low density on a selective medium that supports the growth of hybrid cells, but not myeloma cells. A preferred selection technique uses HAT (hypoxanthine, aminopterin, thymidine) selection. After a sufficient time, usually about 1 to 2 weeks, colonies of hybrids are observed. Single colonies are selected and tested for binding activity against the polypeptide. Hybridomas having high reactivity and specificity are preferred.

Monoclonal antibodies may be isolated from the supernatants of growing hybridoma colonies. In addition, various techniques may be employed to enhance the yield, such as injection of the hybridoma cell line into the peritoneal cavity of a suitable vertebrate host, such as a mouse. Monoclonal antibodies may then be harvested from the ascites fluid or the blood. Contaminants may be removed from the antibodies by conventional techniques, such as chromatography, gel filtration, precipitation, and extraction.

In a related aspect of the present invention, kits for detecting the level of IKK signalsome, IκB kinase, nucleic acid encoding IκB kinase and/or IκB kinase activity in a sample are provided. Any of a variety of samples may be used in such assays, including eukaryotic cells, bacteria, viruses, extracts prepared from such organisms and fluids found within living organisms. In general, the kits of the present invention comprise one or more containers enclosing elements, such as reagents or buffers, to be used in the assay.

A kit for detecting the level of IKK signalsome, IκB kinase or nucleic acid encoding IκB kinase typically contains a reagent that binds to the compound of interest. To detect nucleic acid encoding IκB kinase, the reagent may be a nucleic acid probe or a PCR primer. To detect IKK signalsome or IκB kinase, the reagent is typically an antibody. Such kits also contain a reporter group suitable for direct or indirect detection of the reagent (i.e., the reporter group may be covalently bound to the reagent or may be bound to a second molecule, such as Protein A, Protein G, immunoglobulin or lectin, which is itself capable of binding to the reagent). Suitable reporter groups include, but are not limited to, enzymes (e.g., horseradish peroxidase), substrates, cofactors, inhibitors, dyes, radionuclides, luminescent groups, fluorescent groups and biotin. Such reporter groups may be used to directly or indirectly detect binding of the reagent to a sample component using standard methods known to those of ordinary skill in the art.

In yet another aspect, IKK signalsome may be used to identify one or more native upstream kinases (i.e., kinases that phosphorylate and activate IKK signalsome in vivo) or other regulatory molecules that affect IκB kinase activity (such as phosphatases or molecules involved in ubiquitination), using methods well known to those of ordinary skill in the art. For example, IKK signalsome components may be used in a yeast two-hybrid system to identify proteins that interact with such components. Alternatively, an expression library may be screened for cDNAs that phosphorylate IKK signalsome or a component thereof.

The following Examples are offered by way of illustration and not by way of limitation.

EXAMPLES Example 1 Recruitment of NFκB into IKK Signalsome During Activation

This example illustrates the recruitment of NFκB into a protein complex (the IKK signalsome) containing IκB kinase and other signaling proteins.

Cytoplasmic extracts of either unstimulated or stimulated Jurkat cells were fractionated on a Superdex 200 gel filtration column, and IκBα was visualized by immunoblot analysis. Jurkat cells were grown to a cell density of 1.5×10⁶ cells/ml and either not stimulated or induced for 10 minutes with PMA (50 ng/ml)/PHA (1 μg/ml). Cells were harvested and resuspended in two volumes HLB buffer (20 mM Tris pH 8.0, 2 mM EDTA, 1 mM EGTA, 10 mM β-glycerophosphate, 10 mM NaF, 10 mM PNPP, 300 μM Na₃VO₄, 1 mM benzamidine, 2 mM PMSF, 10 μg/ml aprotonin, 1 μg/ml leupeptin, 1 μg/ml pepstatin, 1 mM DTT), made 0.1% NP40 and left on ice for 15 minutes, and lysed with a glass Dounce homogenizer. The nuclei were pelleted at 10,000 rpm for 20 minutes in a Sorval SS34 rotor. The supernatant was further centrifuged at 40,000 rpm for 60 min in a Ti50.1 rotor. All procedures were carried out at 4° C. The S-100 fraction was concentrated and chromatographed on Hi Load 16/60 Superdex 200 prep grade gel filtration column that was equilibrated in GF buffer (20 mM Tris HCl pH 8.0, 150 mM NaCl, 1 mM EDTA, 1 mM EGTA, 5% glycerol, 0.025% Brij 35, 1 mM benzamidine, 2 mM PMSF, 10 mM β-glycerophosphate, 10 mM NaF, 10 mM PNPP, 300 μM Na₃VO₄, 10 μg/ml aprotonin, 1 μg/ml leupeptin, 1 μg/ml pepstatin, 1 mM DTT). Isolated fractions were analyzed by western blot analysis using either anti-IκBα or anti-JNK antibodies (Santa Cruz, Inc., Santa Cruz, Calif.).

As shown in FIG. 1A, IκBα in cell extracts from unstimulated cells eluted with an apparent molecular weight of 300 kDa (lanes 5-7), consistent with the chromatographic properties of the inactive NFκB-IκB complex (Baeuerle and Baltimore, Genes Dev. 3:1689-98, 1989). In contrast, phosphorylated IκBα (from cells stimulated for periods too short to permit complete degradation of the protein) migrated at ˜600 kDa on the same chromatography columns (lanes 2, 3). This difference in migration was specific for IκB, since analysis of the same fractions indicated that the Jun N-terminal kinases JNK1 and JNK2 migrated with low apparent molecular weight and showed no difference in chromatographic behavior between stimulated and unstimulated cells. Stimulation-dependent recruitment of IκB into this larger protein complex corresponded with the appearance of phosphorylated IκB, suggesting that the complex contained the specific IκB kinases that mediate IκB phosphorylation. These results demonstrate that that NFκB activation involves recruitment into a protein complex (the IKK signalsome) containing IκB kinase and other signaling proteins.

Example 2 Partial Purification of IKK Signalsome and Identification of Co-Purifying Components

This Example illustrates the fractionation of extracts containing IκB kinase. Whole cell extracts from TNFα-stimulated cells were fractionated by gel filtration, ion exchange, and other chromatographic methods, as described above. IκB kinase activity in the fractions was assayed by phosphorylation of GST-IκBα (1-54) (SEQ ID NO:3) or GST-IκBβ (1-44) (SEQ ID NO:4). Kinase assays were performed in 20 mM HEPES pH 7.7, 2 mM MgCl₂, 2 mM MnCl₂, 10 μM ATP, 1-3 μCi γ-[³²P]-ATP, 10 mM β-glycerophosphate, 10 mM NaF, 10 mM PNPP, 300 μM Na₃VO₄, 1 mM benzarmidine, 2 μM PMSF, 10 μg/ml aprotonin, 1 μg/ml leupeptin, 1 μg/ml pepstatin, 1 mM DTT) at 30° C. for 30 to 60 minutes in the presence of the indicated substrate. The kinase reaction was stopped by the addition of 6× SDS-PAGE sample buffer, subjected to SDS-PAGE analysis and visualized using autoradiography. GST-IκB substrates for use in the above assay were prepared using standard techniques for bacterially expressed GST-protein (see Current Protocols in Molecular Biology 2:16.7.1-16.7.7, 1996). Bacterial cells were lysed, GST proteins were purified via binding to GST-agarose beads, washed several times, eluted from the beads with glutathione, dialyzed against kinase assay buffer and stored at −80° C. The specificity of the kinase was established by using mutant GST-IκBα (1-54) in which serines 32, 36 had been mutated to threonine (SEQ ID NO:5), and GST-IκBβ (1-44) in which serines 19, 23 had been mutated to alanine (SEQ ID NO:6).

IκB kinase activity was not observed in extracts from unstimulated cells, while stimulation with TNFα for 5-7 minutes resulted in strong induction of kinase activity. As shown in FIG. 1B, the IκB kinase activity from stimulated cells chromatographed on gel filtration as a broad peak of 500-700 kDa, consistent with its presence in a large protein complex potentially containing other components required for NFκB activation.

NFκB activation is known to occur under conditions that also stimulate MAP kinase pathways (Lee et al., Cell 88:213-22, 1997; Hirano, et al., J. Biol. Chem. 271:13234-38, 1996). Accordingly, further experiments were performed to detect proteins associated with MAP kinase and phosphatase cascades at various stages of purification of the IKK signalsome. In addition to RelA and IκBβ, MEKK-1 and two tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins of ˜55 and ˜40 kDa copurified with IκB kinase activity (FIG. 1C). Antibodies to Rel A and IκBβ were obtained from Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Inc. (Santa Cruz, Calif.), and antibodies to MEKK-1 were obtained from Upstate Biotechnology (Lake Placid, N.Y.). Other signaling components, including PKCζ, PP1 and PP2A, were detected in the same fractions as the IκB kinase in early chromatographic steps but did not copurify at later chromatographic steps (data not shown). Most interestingly, an unidentified protein of ˜50 kDa, detected by its crossreaction with an antibody to MKP-1, copurified with IκB kinase through several purification steps (FIG. 1C). This protein is unlikely to be MKP-1 itself, since the molecular weight of authentic MKP-1 is 38 kDa.

Example 3 Preparation of IKK Signalsome from HeLa S3 Cell Extracts

This Example illustrates an alternate preparation of an IKK signalsome, and the characterization of the complex.

HeLa S3 cells were grown to a cell density of approximately 0.6×10⁶/mL, concentrated 10 fold and induced with TNFα (30 ng/mL) for seven minutes. Two volumes of ice-cold PBS containing phosphatase inhibitors (10 mM sodium fluoride, 0.3 mN sodium orthovanadate and 20 mM β-glycerophosphate) were then added. The cells were spun down, washed once with ice-cold PBS containing phosphatase inhibitors and snap frozen.

Standard protocols were then used to prepare cytoplasmic and nuclear extracts. More specifically, the frozen HeLa 83 cell pellet was quick-thawed at 37° C., resuspended in 2 volumes of ice-cold Hypotonic Lysis Buffer (20 mM Tris pH 8.0, 2 mM EDTA, 1 mM EGTA, 10 mM β-glycerophosphate, 10 mM NaF, 10 mM PNPP, 0.3 mM Na₂VO₄, 5 mM sodium pyrophosphate, 1 mM benzamidine, 2 mM PMSF, 10 μg/mL aprotinin, 1 μg/mL leupeptin and 1 μg/mL pepstatin), and left to incubate on ice for 30 min. The swollen cells were then dounced 30 times using a tight pestle and the nuclei were pelleted at 10,000 rpm for 15 minutes at 4° C. The supernatant was clarified via ultracentrifugation (50,000 rpm for 1 hour at 4° C.) to generate the final cytoplasmic extract. The nuclear/membrane pellet was resuspended in an equal volume of High Salt Extraction Buffer (20 mM Tris pH 8.0, 0.5M NaCl, 1 mM EDTA, 1 mM EGTA, 0.25% Triton X-100, 20 mM, βglycerophosphate, 10 mM NaF, 10 mM PNPP, 0.3mM Na₂VO₄, 1 mM benzamidine, 1 mM PMSF, 1 mM DTT, 10 μg/mL aprotinin, 1 μg/mL leupeptin and 1 μg/mL pepstatin) and allowed to rotate at 4° C. for 30 minutes. Cell debris was removed via centrifugation at 12,500 rpm for 30 minutes at 4° C. and the resulting supernatant was saved as the nuclear/membrane extract.

These extracts were then independently subjected to a series of chromatographic steps (shown in FIG. 2) using a Pharmacia FPLC system (Pharmacia Biotech, Piscataway, N.J.):

-   -   (1) Q Sepharose (Pharmacia Biotech, Piscataway, N.J.)—the column         was run with a linear gradient starting with 0.0M NaCl Q Buffer         (20 mM Tris pH 8.0, 0.5 mM EDTA, 0.5 mM EGTA, 0.025% Brij 35, 20         mM β-glycerophosphate, 10 mM NaF, 0.3 mM Na₂VO₄, 1 mM         benzamidine, 1 mM PMSF, 2 mM DTT, 10 μg/mL aprotinin, 1 μg/mL         leupeptin and 1 μg/mL pepstatin) and ending with 0.5M NaCl Q         Buffer. The IκBα kinase activity eluted between 0.25 and 0.4 M         NaCl.     -   (2) Gel Filtration HiLoad 16/60 Superdex 200) (Pharmacia         Biotech, Piscataway, N.J.)—the column was run with Gel         Filtration Buffer (20 mM Tris pH 8.0, 150 mM NaCl, 1 mM EDTA, 1         mM EGTA, 0.05% Brij 35, 20 mM β-glycerophosphate, 10 mM NaF, 0.3         mM Na₂VO₄, 1 mM benzamidine, 1 mM PMSF, 1 mM DTT, 10 μg/mL         aprotinin, 1 μg/mL leupeptin and 1 μg/mL pepstatin). The peak         IκBα kinase activity eluted at 40-48 mL, which corresponds to a         molecular weight of 731 kD to 623 kD.     -   (3) HR 515 Mono Q (Pharmacia Biotech, Piscataway, N.J.)—the         column was run with a linear gradient starting with 0.0M NaCl Q         Buffer and ending with 0.5M NaCl Q Buffer (without Brij         detergent to prepare sample for Phenyl Superose column). The         IκBα kinase activity eluted between 0.25 and 0.4 M NaCl.     -   (4) HR Phenyl Superose (Pharmacia Biotech, Piscataway, N.J.)—the         column was run with a linear gradient of 10M to 0.0M ammonium         sulfate in Phenyl Superose Buffer (20 mM Tris pH 8.0, 0.25 mM         EDTA, 1 mM EGTA, 20 mM β-glycerophosphate, 10 mM NaF, 0.1 mM         NA₂VO₄, 1 mM benzamidine, 1 mM PMSF, 1 mM DTT, 10 μg/mL         aprotinin, 1 μg/m leupeptin and 1 μg/mL pepstatin). The IκBα         kinase activity eluted between 0.35 and 0.2 M ammonium sulfate.     -   (5) Gel Filtration Superdex 200 HR 10/30 (Pharmacia Biotech,         Piscataway, N.J.)—the column was run with Gel Filtration Buffer         (see (2), above). The peak of activity eluted at 8-10 mL, which         corresponds to a molecular weight of 720 kD to 600 kD.     -   (6) HR 5/5 Mono Q—the column was run as in (3) above except that         the 0.05% Brij 35 was included in all Q buffers.

IκBα kinase activity, with similar substrate specificity and molecular weight, was isolated from both the cytoplasmic and nuclear/membrane extracts.

At each step of the fractionation, IκB kinase activity was monitored using an in vitro assay. The assay was performed by combining 2 μg of the respective IκB substrate (GST-IκBα 1-54 (wildtype) (SEQ ID NO:3) or GST-IκBα (S32/36 to T) (SEQ ID NO:5), as described below), with 3-5 μL chromatographic fraction and 20 μL of Kinase Assay Buffer (20 mM HEPES pH 7.4, 10 mM MgCl₂, 10 mM MnCl₂, 20 mM NaCl, 1 mM DTT, 20 mM PNPP, 20 μM ATP, 20 mM β-glycerophosphate, 10 mM NaF, 0.1 mM Na₂VO₄, 1 mM benzamidine, 1 mM PMSF) containing γ³²P-ATP, and incubating for 30 minutes at 30° C. The kinase reaction was terminated by adding 8 μl of 6×SDS-PAGE sample buffer. The entire sample was run on a 12% polyacrylamide gel, dried and subjected to autoradiography.

IκB substrates for use in the above assay were prepared using standard techniques (see Haskill et al., Cell 65:1281-1289, 1991). The GST-IκBα 1-54 (wildtype) (SEQ ID NO:3) or GST-IκBα (S32/36 to T) (SEQ ID NO:5) substrates were prepared using standard techniques for bacterially expressed GST-protein. Bacterial cells were Lysed, GST proteins were purified via binding to GST-agarose beads, washed several times, eluted from the beads with glutathione, dialyzed against 50 mM NaCl Kinase Assay Buffer and stored at −80° C.

The TNFα-inducibility of IκB kinase activity was initially evaluated by Western blot analysis of the levels of IκB in HeLa S3 cytoplasmic extracts following gel filtration. IκB(a was assayed by running 18 μL of the gel filtration fractions on 10% SDS PAGE, transferring to Nitrocellulose Membrane (Hybond-ECL, Amersham Life Sciences, Arlington Height, Ill.) using standard blotting techniques and probing with anti-IκBα antibodies (Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Inc., Santa Cruz, Calif.). TNFα-inducibility was evaluated by comparing the level of IκBα in cells that were (FIG. 3B) and were not (FIG. 3A) exposed to TNFα (30 ng/mL for seven minutes, as described above).

The IκBα kinase activity of these cytoplasmic extracts was evaluated using the kinase assay described above. As shown in FIG. 4B, the extract of TNFα-treated cells phosphorylated GST-IκBα 1-54 (wildtype) (SEQ ID NO:3), while the untreated cell extract showed significantly lower levels of IκBα kinase activity (FIG. 4A).

Cytoplasmic extracts of TNFα-treated HeLa S3 cells (following Q Sepharose fractionation) were also subjected to in vitro kinase assays, using the N-terminal portion of IκBα (residues 1 to 54) (SEQ ID NO:3′) as substrate. With the wild type substrate, phosphorylation of GST-IκBα 1-54 (SEQ ID NO:3) was readily apparent (FIG. 5A). In contrast, substrate containing threonine substitutions at positions 32 and 36 was not phosphorylated (FIG. 5B).

Following chromatographic fractionation by Q Sepharose, Superdex 200, MonoQ Sepharose and Phenyl Superose, in vitro kinase assay showed substantial purification of the IκB kinase activity (FIG. 6A). Further purification of the IκB kinase was achieved by passing the sample over, in series, an analytical Superdex 200 and Mono Q HR 5/5, resulting in 8 major protein bands as determined by silver staining. As before, the use of substrate containing threonine substitutions at positions 32 and 36 markedly reduced the phosphorylation (FIG. 6B). These results demonstrate the purification of a stimulus-inducible IκBα kinase complex, which specifically phosphorylates serine residues at positions 32 and 36 of IκBα without the addition of exogenous factors.

Example 4 Immunoprecipitation of IKK Signalsome Using Anti MKP-1 Antibodies

This Example illustrates the immunoprecipitation of IκB kinase activity from cytoplasmic extracts prepared from stimulated cells.

A. Immunoprecivitation of IκB Kinase Complex from HeLa Cells

HeLa cells were TNF-α-treated (30 μg/mL, 7 minutes) and fractionated by gel filtration as described in Example 3. Twenty μL of gel filtration fraction #6 (corresponding to about 700 kD molecular weight) and 1 μg purified antibodies raised against MKP-1 (Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Inc., Santa Cruz, Calif.) were added to 400 μL of ice cold 1× Pull Down Buffer (20 mM Tris pH 8.0, 250 mM NaCl, 0.05% NP-40, 3 mM EGTA, 5 mM EDTA, 10 mM β-glycerophosphate, 10 mM NaF, 10 mM PNPP, 300 μM Na₃VO₄, 1 mM benzamidine, 2 μM PMSF, 10 μg/ml aprotonin, 1 μg/ml leupeptin, 1 μg/ml pepstatin, 1 mM DTT). The sample was gently rotated for 1 hour at 4° C., at which time 40 μL of protein A-agarose beads (50:50 slurry, Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Inc., Santa Cruz, Calif.) was added. The sample was then rotated for an additional 1.5 hours at 4° C. The protein A-agarose beads were pelleted at 3,000 rpm for 2 minutes at 4° C. and the pellet was washed three times with ice cold Pull Down Buffer (800 μL per wash).

The pellet was subjected to the standard in vitro IκBα kinase assay (as described above) using either 2 μg GST-IκBα 1-54 (wildtype) (SEQ ID NO:3) or 2 μg-GST-IκBα 1-54 (S32/36 to T) (SEQ ID NO:5) as the substrate.

The results, shown in FIG. 7, demonstrate that antibodies directed against MKP-1 immunoprecipitate the stimulus-inducible IκBα kinase activity. The substrate specificity of this IκBα kinase activity corresponds to what has been described in vivo (strong phosphorylation of the GST-IκBα1-54 (wildtype) and no phosphorylation using GST-IκBα1-54 (S32/36 to T).

B. Characterization of Immunoprecipitated IKK Siqnalsome

For these studies, small scale immunoprecipitation were performed using two 150 mm plates of HeLa cells (one stimulated and one unstimulated). Whole cell lysates were diluted 4-fold with 2× Pull-Down Buffer (40 mM Tris pH 8.0, 500 mM NaCl, 0.1% NP-40, 6 mM EDTA, 6 mM EGTA, 10 mM β-glycerophosphate, 10 mM NaF, 10 mM PNPP, 300 μM Na₃VO₄, 1 mM benzamidine, 2 μM PMSF, 10 μg/ml aprotonin, 1 μg/ml leupeptin, 1 μg/ml pepstatin, 1 mM DTT) and 2-4 μg of the indicated antibody was added. Lysates were incubated on ice for 1-2 hours, 10 μl of Protein A or G beads were added, and lysates were left to incubate with gentle rotation for an additional 1 hour at 4° C. The immunoprecipitate was then washed 3 times with 2× Pull-Down Buffer, 1× with kinase buffer without ATP and subjected to a kinase assay as described in Example 2. There was no noticeable loss in IκB kinase activity when the immunoprecipitate was subjected to more rigorous washing, such as in RIPA buffer (20 mM Tris, 250 mM NaCl, 1% NP-40, 1% DOC, 0.1% SDS, 3 mM EDTA, 3 mM EGTA. 10 mM β-glycerophosphate, 10 mM NaF, 10 mM PNPP, 300 μM Na₃VO₄, 1 mM benzamidine, 2 μM PMSF, 10 μg/ml aprotonin, 1 μg/ml leupeptin, 1 μg/ml pepstatin, 1 mM DTT) or washes up to 3.5 M urea.

Of a large panel of antibodies tested, one of three anti-MKP-1 antibodies efficiently co-immunoprecipitated an inducible IκB kinase activity from HeLa cells as well as primary human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). The co-immunoprecipitated kinase (IKK signalsome kinase) was inactive in unstimulated HeLa cells, but was rapidly activated within minutes of TNFα stimulation (FIG. 8A, top panel). The IKK signalsome kinase did not phosphorylate a mutant GST-IκBα protein in which serine residues 32 and 36 had been mutated to threonine (FIG. 8A top panel, even-numbered lanes). Activation of the signalsome kinase was maximal at 5 minutes and declined thereafter, a time course consistent with the time course of IκBα phosphorylation and degradation under the same conditions (FIG. 8A, bottom panel). As expected, the signalsome IκB kinase was also activated by stimulation of cells with IL-1 or PMA (FIG. 8B, lanes 1-4); moreover, its activity was inhibited in cells treated with TPCK, a known inhibitor of NFκB activation (FIG. 8B, lane 7). Additionally, the IKK signalsome kinase specifically phosphorylated full-length wild-type IκBα, but not a mutant IκBα bearing the serine 32, 36 to alanine mutations, in the context of a physiological RelA-IκBα complex (FIG. 8C, lanes 3, 4). Together these results indicate that the anti-MKP-1 antibody co-immunoprecipitated the IKK signalsome. The signalsome-associated IκB kinase met all the criteria expected of the authentic IκB kinase and had no detectable IκBα C-terminal kinase activity.

The specificity of the IKK signalsome kinase was further established by kinetic analysis and by examining its activity on various peptides and recombinant protein substrates (FIG. 9A). For these studies, synthetic peptides (Alpha Diagnostics International San Antonio, Tex.) were prepared with the following sequences:

IκBα(21-41): CKKERLLDDRHDSGLDSMKDEE (SEQ ID NO: 11) IκBα(21-41) S/T mutant: CKKERLLDDRHDTGLDTMKDEE (SEQ ID NO: 12) c-Fos(222-241): DLTGGPEVAT(PO3)PESEEAFLP (SEQ ID NO: 13) MKP-1: CPTNSALNYLKSPITTSPS (SEQ ID NO: 14) cJun(56-70): CNSDLLTSPDVGLLK (SEQ ID NO: 15) cJun(65-79): CVGLLKLASPELERL (SEQ ID NO: 16)

Phosphorylation of these peptides (100 μM) was performed using a kinase reaction as described above. Reactions were for one hour at room temperature and were terminated by the addition of SDS-PAGE loading buffer. SDS-PAGE with a 16% Trisitricine gel (Novex, San Diego, Calif.) or a 4-20% Tris/glycine gel (Novex, San Diego, Calif.) was used to characterize the reaction products. Gels were washed, dried in vacuo, and exposed to autoradiographic film.

Inhibition of immunopurified IKK signalsome activity was measured by ³²p incorporation into GST-IκBα(1-54) in a discontinuous assay using the reaction conditions described above. The concentrations of GST-IκBα(1-54) and ATP used in the inhibition studies were 0.56 μM and 3 μM, respectively. Enzymatic reactions (32 μL) were carried out in wells of a 96 well assay plate for one hour at room temperature and terminated with the addition of trichloroacetic acid (TCA) (150 μL/well of 12.5% w/v). The subsequent 20 minute incubation with TCA precipitated the proteins but not peptides from solution. The TCA precipitate was collected on 96-well glass fiber plates (Packard) and washed 10 times with approximately 0.3 mL per well of Dulbecco's phosphate buffered saline pH 7.4 (Sigma) using a Packard Filtermate 196. Scintillation fluid (0.50 mL, MicroScint, Packard) was added to each well and the plate was analyzed for ³²P using a Packard TopCount scintillation counter. Less than 10% of ATP was turned over in the course of the assay reaction, ensuring that the kinetic data represented initial rate data. The inhibition constant of the P32, 36 peptide was determined by Dixon analysis (Dixon and Webb, In Enzymes (Academic Press: New York, ed. 3, 1979), pp. 350-51.

The kinase displayed normal Michaelis-Menten kinetics, suggesting that it was not a mixture of diverse unrelated kinases. The kinase was capable of phosphorylating an IκBα (21-41) peptide (SEQ ID NO:11) (FIGS. 9A and 9B)) as well as two different IκBα (21-41) peptides, each bearing a free serine at either position 32 or 36 and phosphoserine at the other position (FIGS. 9A and 9B, lanes 2, 3). As expected, a peptide with phosphoserines at both positions was not phosphorylated at all (FIG. 9B, top), indicating that there was no significant turnover of the phosphates under our reaction conditions. These experiments indicated that both serines 32 and 36 were phosphoacceptor sites for the IKK signalsome kinase, thus distinguishing it from other kinases such as pp90Rsk which phosphorylates IκBα only at serine 32 (Schouten, et al., EMBO J. 16:3133-44, 1997).

Although the IKK signalsome kinase efficiently phosphorylated IκBα peptides, it did not phosphorylate the c-Fos phosphopeptide containing a free serine and a free threonine (SEQ ID NO: 13) (FIG. 9B, top), two c-Jun peptides containing serine 63 and 73, respectively (SEQ ID NOS:15 and 16) (FIG. 9A, top panel, lanes 4, 5), or an MKP-1 peptide containing four serines and three threonines (SEQ ID NO: 14) (FIG. 9A, lane 6). The latter peptides were substrates for JNK2 (FIG. 9A, bottom panel, lanes 4-6). An IκBα (21-41) peptide in which serines 32 and 36 were replaced by threonines (SEQ ID NO:12) was phosphorylated by the signalsome at least 10-fold less well than the wild-type serine-containing peptide, consistent with the slower phosphorylation and degradation kinetics of IκBα (S32/36 to T) in cells (DiDonato et al., Mol. Cell. Biol. 6:1295-1304, 1996), and the preference of the kinase for serine over threonine at positions 32, 36 in both full-length IκBα and GST-IκBα (1-54) (FIGS. 8A and C). In addition, the kinase phosphoiylated GST-IκBα (1-54), albeit with lower affinity. In most experiments, IκB kinase activity was also associated with strong RelA kinase activity (FIG. 8C, lanes 3, 4), but no activity was observed towards several other substrates including myelin basic protein (MBP), GST-ATF2 (1-112), GST-cJun (1-79), GST-ERK3, GST-Elk (307-428), GST-p38, and a GST fusion protein containing the C-terminal region of IκBα (242-314).

The specificity of the IKK signalsome kinase was further emphasized by its susceptibility to product inhibition (FIG. 9B, bottom). The kinase was strongly inhibited by a doubly-phosphorylated IκBα peptide bearing phosphoserines at both positions 32 and 36, but not by the unrelated c-Fos phosphopeptide that contained a single phosphothreonine. The singly-phosphorylated and the unphosphorylated IκBα peptides were less effective inhibitors.

Example 5 Absence of Free Ubiguitin in Purified IKK Signalsome

This example illustrates the absence of detectable free ubiquitin with a IKK signalsome prepared as in Example 3. Standard western blot procedures were performed (Amersham Life Science protocol, Arlington Heights, Ill.). 100 ng ubiquitin, 10 ng ubiquitin and 20 ul purified IκBα kinase complex was subjected to 16% Tricine SDS-PAGE (Novex, San Diego, Calif.), transferred to Hybond ECL Nitrocellulose membrane (Amersham Life Science, Arlington Heights, Ill.), and probed with antibodies directed against ubiquitin (MAB1510; Chemicon, Temecula, Calif.). The results are shown in FIG. 10. Free ubiquitin could not be detected in the purified IκBα kinase preparation (even at very long exposures). The complexes described herein do not require addition of endogenous ubiquitin to detect IκBα kinase activity, nor is free ubiquitin a component in the purified IκBα kinase preparations of the present invention.

Example 6 Purification of the NFκB Signalsome and Identification of IKK-1 and IKK-2

This Example illustrates a two-step affinity method for purification of the IKK signalsome, based on its recognition by the MKP-1 antibody (depicted in FIG. 11A) and the identification of IκB kinases.

For large scale IKK signalsome purification, HeLa S3 cells were stimulated for 7 minutes with 20 ng/ml TNFα (R&D Systems, Minneapolis, Minn.), harvested, whole cell lysates were prepared (1.2 g total protein) and approximately 5 mg of anti-MKP-1 antibody (Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Inc., Santa Cruz, Calif.) was added and incubated at 4° C. for 2 hours with gentle rotation. Subsequently, 50 ml of Protein A agarose (Calbiochem, San Diego, Calif.) was added and the mixture was incubated for an additional 2 hours. The immunoprecipitate was then sequentially washed 4× Pull-Down Buffer, 2×RIPA buffer, 2× Pull-Down Buffer, 1× 3.5 M urea-Pull-Down Buffer and 3× Pull-Down Buffer. The immunoprecipitate was then made into a thick slurry by the addition of 10 ml of Pull-Down Buffer, 25 mg of the specific MKP-1 peptide to which the antibody was generated (Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Inc., Santa Cruz, Calif.) was added, and the mixture was incubated overnight at 4° C. with gentle rotation. The eluted IKK signalsome was then desalted on PD 10 desalting columns (Pharmacia Biotech, Piscataway, N.J.) equilibrated with 50 mM Q buffer and chromatographed on a Mono Q column (Pharmacia Biotech, Piscataway, N.J.). Fractions containing peak IκB kinase activity were pooled, concentrated and subjected to preparative SDS-PAGE. The intensity of two prominent protein bands of ˜85 and ˜87 kDa (indicated by silver stain in FIG. 11B as IKK-1 and IKK-2 respectively) correlated with the profile of IκB kinase activity.

Coomassie stained ˜85 and ˜87 kDa bands were excised, in-gel digested with trypsin (Wilm et al., Nature 37:466-69, 1996) and a small aliquot of the supernatant was analyzed by high mass accuracy MALDI peptide mass mapping, as described by Shevchenko et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 93:14440-45, 1996. The peptide mass map from the IKK-1 band was searched against a comprehensive protein sequence database using the program PeptideSearch developed in house at EMBL Heidelberg. Eight measured peptide masses matched calculated tryptic peptide masses from CHUK (conserved helix-loop-helix ubiquitous kinase; Connely and Marcu, Cell. Mol. Biol. Res. 41:537-49, 1995) within 30 ppm, unambiguously identifying the protein. The peptide mass map of the IKK-2 band did not result in a clear identification and therefore the sample was subjected to nanoelectrospray mass spectrometry (Wilm and Mann, Anal. Chem. 68:1-8, 1996). The peptide mixture obtained after extraction of the gel piece was micropurified on a capillary containing 50 nL of POROS R2 resin (PerSeptive Biosystems, Framingham, Me.). After washing, the peptides were step-eluted with 0.5 μl of 50% MeOH in 5% formic acid into a nanoelectrospray needle. This needle was transferred to an APIII mass spectrometer (Perkin-Elmer, Sciex, Toronto, Canada) and the sample sprayed for approximately 20 minutes. During this time, peptide ions apparent from the mass spectrum were selected and isolated in turn and fragmented in the collision chamber of the mass spectrometer. From the tandem mass spectra, short stretches of sequence were assembled into peptide sequence tags (Mann and Wilm, Anal. Chem. 66:4390-99, 1994) and searched against a protein sequence database or against dbEST using PeptideSearch.

Three peptides matched the IKK-1 sequence. A1: IIDLGYAK (SEQ ID NO:17); A2: VEVALSNIK (SEQ ID NO:18); A3 SIQLDLER (SEQ ID NO:19). Three other peptides matched human EST sequences in dbEST: B1: ALELLPK (SEQ ID NO:20), B2: VIYTQLSK (SEQ ID NO:21), B6: LLLQAIQSFEK (SEQ ID NO:22) all match EST clone AA326115. The peptide B4 with the sequence LGTGGFGNVIR (SEQ ID NO:23) was found in clone R06591. After the full-length IKK-2 sequence was obtained (as described below) two more peptides B3: ALDDILNLK (SEQ ID NO:24) and B5: DLKPENIVLQQGEQR (SEQ ID NO:25) were found in the sequence. Peptide A1 is present in both IKK-1 and IKK-2 sequences. All the EST clones identified were clearly homologous to human and mouse CHUK, a serine/threonine kinase of hitherto unknown function. Once the complete coding sequence of IKK-2 was obtained (as described below), all sequenced peptides (apart from two peptides derived from IKK-1) could be assigned to this protein.

Representative mass spectra are shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B. In FIG. 12A, peaks labeled A were matched to the tryptic peptides of IKK-1 upon fragmentation followed by database searching with peptide sequence tags. Peaks labeled B2, B4, B6 were not found in protein databases but instead matched human EST sequences. One more peptide (B1) matching a human EST clone was observed at m/z 392.2 and is not shown in panel A. In FIG. 12B, a continuous series of C-terminal-containing fragments (Y″-ions) was used to construct a peptide sequence tag as shown by boxed letters. Search of this tag resulted in a match to the peptide LLLQALQSFEK (SEQ ID NO:22) in human EST clone AA326115. Two more peptides, B1 (ALELLPK; SEQ ID NO:20) and B2 (VIYTQLSK; SEQ ID NO:21) were found in the sequence of the same EST clone.

Full-length human IKK-1 and IKK-2 cDNAs were cloned based on the human EST clones, which were obtained from Genome Systems, Inc. (St. Louis, Mo.). The precise nucleotide sequences were determined and used to design primers to PCR clone human IKK-2 from a human HeLa cell cDNA library (Clontech, Inc., Palo Alto, Calif.). Several IKK-2 cDNA clones were isolated and sequenced. Full-length mouse IKK-1 and a partial human IKK-1 nucleotide sequence was available in the comprehensive database, primers were designed to PCR clone the respective human and mouse IKK-1 cDNAs. The partial human IKK-1 coding region was used to probe a HeLa cDNA phage library (Stratagene, Inc., La Jolla, Calif.) to obtain the full-length human IKK-1 cDNA clone using standard procedures.

Sequence analysis reveals that IRK-1 (SEQ ID NO:10) and IKK-2 (SEQ ID NO:9) were related protein seine kinases (51% identity) containing protein interaction motifs (FIG. 13A). Both IKK-1 (SEQ ID NO:10) and IKK-2 (SEQ ID NO:9) contain the kinase domain at the N-terminus, and a leucine zipper motif and a helix-loop-helix motif in their C-terminal regions (FIG. 13A). Northern analysis indicates that mRNAs encoding IKK-2 are widely distributed in human tissues, with transcript sizes of ˜4.5 kb and 6 kb (FIG. 13B). The distribution of IKK-1 (CHUK) transcripts has been reported previously (Connely et al., Cell. Mol. Biol. Res. 41:537-49, 1995). IKK-1 and IKK-2 mRNAs are constitutively expressed in Jurkat, HeLa and HUEC cell lines, and their levels are not altered for up to 8 hours following stimulation with NFκB inducers such as TNFα (HeLa, HUVEC) or anti-CD28 plus PMA (Jurkat).

To further characterize the properties of IKK-1 (SEQ ID NO: 10) and IKK-2 (SEQ ID NO:9), recombinant HA-tagged IKK-1 and Flag-tagged IKK-2, either separately or alone, were in vitro transcribed and translated in wheat germ or rabbit reticulocyte lysate (Promega, Madison, Wis.). The reactions were performed exactly as described in the manufacturer's protocol. Epitope-tagged IKK-1 and IKK-2 then immunoprecipitated with the appropriate anti-tag antibody. Immunoprecipitates containing these proteins phosphorylated IκBα and IκBβ3 with the correct substrate specificity (i.e., immunoprecipitates of IKK-1 and IKK-2 phosphorylated both UST-IκBα (FIG. 14A, panel 3) and GST-IκBα (panel 4), but did not phosphorylate the corresponding S32/36 to T mutant protein. IKK-1 expressed in rabbit reticulocyte lysates was also capable of autophosphorylation (FIG. 14A, panel 2, lane 1), whereas a kinase-inactive version of IKK-1, in which the conserved lysine 44 had been mutated to methionine, showed no autophosphorylation. In contrast IKK-2, although expressed at equivalent levels in the lysates (panel 1), showed very weak autophosphorylation (panel 2, lane 2).

Expression of the kinase inactive mutants (K to M) of IKK-1 and IKK-2 indicate that both play critical roles in NFκB activation as demonstrated by immunofluorescent studies (FIGS. 14B and 14C). For these studies, HeLa cells were transiently transfected with either HA-tagged IKK-1 or Flag-tagged IKK-2. Cells were fixed for 30 minutes with methanol. For immunofluorescence staining, the cells were incubated sequentially with primary antibody in PBS containing 10% donkey serum and 0.25% Triton X-100 for 2 hours followed by fluorescein-conjugated or Texas red-conjugated secondary antibody (Jackson Immunoresearch Laboratories, Inc., West Grove, Pa.; used at 1:500 dilution) for 1 hour at room temperature. The coverslips were rinsed and coverslipped with Vectashield (Vector Laboratories, Burlingame, Calif.) before scoring and photographing representative fields. Primary antibodies used for immunofluorescence staining included antibodies against Rel A (Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Inc., Santa Cruz, Calif.), HA tag (Babco, Berkeley, Calif.) and Flag tag (IBI-Kodak, New Haven, Conn.).

Kinase-inactive versions (K44 to M) of IKK-1 and IKK-2 had no effect on the subcellular localization of RelA in unstimulated HeLa cells, since RelA remained cytoplasmic both in cells expressing the epitope-tagged proteins and in the adjacent untransfected cells (FIGS. 14B and 14C, top panels). In contrast, both mutant proteins inhibited RelA nuclear translocation in TNFα-stimulated cells (FIGS. 14B and 14C, bottom panels). The inhibition mediated by the IKK-2 mutant was striking and complete (FIG. 14C: compare mutant IKK-2-expressing cells with untransfected cells in the same field), whereas that mediated by the mutant IKK-1 protein, expressed at apparently equivalent levels, was significant but incomplete (FIG. 14B). This difference in the functional activities of the two mutant kinases may point to distinct roles for these two kinases in NFκB activation.

The presence of the leucine zipper and helix-loop-helix motif in IKK-1 (SEQ ID NO:10), and IKK-2 (SEQ ID NO:9) suggested that they interacted functionally with other proteins in the signalsome. An obvious possibility was that the proteins formed hetero- or homodimers with one another. HA-tagged IKK-1 and FLAG-tagged IKK-2 were translated in rabbit reticulocyte lysates, either alone or together, and then immunoprecipitated with antibodies to the appropriate epitope tags. This experiment demonstrated clearly that IKK-2 was present in IKK-1 immunoprecipitates (FIG. 15A, lane 3) and vice versa (lane 4), suggesting that these proteins either associated directly or via adapter proteins/IKK signalsome components present in the rabbit reticulocyte lysates. In contrast, however, there was no evidence for association of IKK-1 and IKK-2 that had been cotranslated in wheat germ lysates (FIG. 15B), suggesting that the proteins did not heterodimerize directly. When full-length IKK-1 was translated together in wheat germ extracts with a truncated version of IKK-1 that still possessed the protein interaction motifs, there was also no evidence of association, suggesting that IKK-1 was also not capable of forming homodimers under these conditions.

Both IRK-1 (SEQ ID NO:10) and IKK-2 (SEQ ID NO:9) kinases were active when expressed in wheat germ extracts, since they were capable of autophosphorylation, but they were inactive with respect to phosphorylation of IκB substrates. Since both autophosphorylation and substrate phosphorylation were intact in rabbit reticulocyte lysates, there appeared to be a direct correlation between the association of IKK-1 and IKK-2 into a higher order protein complex and the presence of specific IκB kinase activity in IKK-1 and IKK-2 immunoprecipitates. This higher order complex is most likely the IKK signalsome itself. Indeed, immunoprecipitation of rabbit reticulocyte lysates with anti-MKP-1 antibody pulls down a low level of active IκB kinase activity characteristic of the IKK signalsome.

It is clear that the IKK signalsome contains multiple protein components in addition to IKK-1 (SEQ ID NO:10) and IKK-2 (FIG. 11B) (SEQ ID NO:9). Some of these may be upstream kinases such as MEKK-1 (Chen et al., Cell 84:853-62, 1996) or NIK (Malinin, et al., Nature 385:540-44, 1997); others may be adapter proteins that mediate the IRK-1:IRK-2 interaction. Indeed MEKK-1 copurifies with IRK signalsome activity (FIG. 1C), and two other signalsome proteins have been functionally identified. The protein crossreactive with anti-MKP-1 is an intrinsic component of the IRK signalsome kinases, since the IκB kinase activity coprecipitated with this antibody is stable to washes with 2-4 M urea. Moreover, both IKK-1 immunoprecipitates and MP-1 immunoprecipitates containing the IKK signalsome (FIG. 8C) contain an inducible RelA kinase whose kinetics of activation parallel those of the IκB kinase in the same immunoprecipitates. Another strong candidate for a protein in the signalsome complex is the E3 ubiquitin ligase that transfers multiubiquitin chains to phosphorylated IκB (Hershko et al., Annu. Rev. Biochem. 61:761-807, 1992).

These results indicate that IKK-1 (SEQ ID NO:10) and IRK-2 (SEQ ID NO:9) are functional kinases within the IRK signalsome, which mediate IκB phosphorylation and NFκB activation. Appropriate regulation of IKK-1 and IKK-2 may require their assembly into a higher order protein complex, which may be a heterodimer facilitated by adapter proteins, the complete IRK signalsome, or some intermediate subcomplex that contains both IKK-1 and IKK-2.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that, although specific embodiments of the invention have been described herein for the purpose of illustration, various modifications may be made without deviating from the spirit and scope of the invention. 

1. An isolated double-stranded RNA polynucleotide comprising a complement of a polynucleotide sequence encoding the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:
 9. 2. An isolated polynucleotide comprising a complement of the polynucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:
 7. 3. An isolated double-stranded polynucleotide consisting of a complement of a polynucleotide sequence encoding a portion of the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO:9, wherein the portion of the polypeptide has the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 25, and the complement of said isolated polynucleotide.
 4. A viral vector comprising the polynucleotide of claim 1, 2 or
 3. 5. A pharmaceutical composition comprising the polynucleotide of claim 1, 2 or 3 and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
 6. A composition comprising the polynucleotide of claim 1, 2 or 3 and a colloidal dispersion system.
 7. The composition of claim 6, wherein the colloidal dispersion system is a nanocapsule, microsphere, bead, or lipid-based system.
 8. The composition of claim 7, wherein the lipid-based system is a liposome, micelle, mixed micelle, or oil-in-water emulsion.
 9. An isolated cell containing the polynucleotide of claim
 1. 10. An isolated cell containing the polynucleotide of claim
 2. 11. An isolated cell containing the viral vector of claim
 4. 